After getting the Breda company and several rifle companies, the structure of the joint defense began to be built, although it will take a while to understand the technology to the real production of finished products, but Contini is not in a hurry, the oil guard is currently recruiting, and the German side will start to send officers out in November, only when these troops are trained in Italy for 4-5 months before they can be used in North Africa, and they will need another 1-2 months of adaptive training in North Africa to be useful.

In view of this situation, Contini tentatively asked whether it was possible to omit the training of white-knuckle combat, and Sickert looked at him with contempt at the time, thinking that how could he be worthy of courage and discipline without white-knuckle combat? But considering that the battle with the tribal armed forces, the white blade was really not a necessity, and finally it was removed with a stroke of the pen.

On November 9, the first German officers reported that a German officer wearing the rank of major saluted Contini, who was much younger than him, although the latter was only 23 years old, but with the rank of reserve colonel on his shoulders, and more particularly, Contini still had three sets of military ranks - approved by Mussolini, in recognition of the contribution of the United Group to the cause of Italian defense, Contini had the rank of reserve colonel of three varieties of army, navy and air force.

Of course, Mussolini also reminded him that the colonel was at the top, and he would not be given the title of general in a few years, otherwise it would be a joke to spread the word. But Contini is already satisfied with this, isn't Gaddafi also a colonel? Enough is enough.

The German officer on the other side was about to report himself to his home when Contini laughed: "I know you, your name is Albert Kesselring, you speak Italian, and you are in the Army General Staff...... Oh no...... Now Germany is not allowed to have a General Staff, you should work in that bureaucracy called the Directorate of Troops, and there is an Albert nicknamed Smiling...... It's an honor to have your help, General Sickett has picked the right man. ”

Kesselring, who had just turned 40 years old, immediately laughed and replied in fluent Italian: "Yes, it is contemptible that His Excellency the President knows so well about our army and me, it is incredible. ”

Contini smiled: "I am very interested in Germany, I am a well-known pro-German faction in Italy, and I recognize your country's military equipment, industrial technology, tactical ideas and even educational technology, and think that many places are better than Italy, but I don't look down on your political system - it's really bad!" ”

Kesselring immediately remembered the Munich incident, did the president really support Hitler because he felt that the German political system was rotten? How should he answer this sentence? So I had to smile awkwardly: "I am a soldier and am not interested in politics, but at present, Field Marshal Hindenburg is the president, and he has great achievements and high morality, plus the Ruhr problem has also been solved, and the economic crisis is gradually easing, I believe that Germany will be better tomorrow." ”

"Again, I'm looking forward to it...... When will Colonel Blomburg and the rest of the crew arrive? ”

"It could take 2-3 weeks, and we're still pulling in all kinds of people, and you know, there's going to be a takeover after that, so it's going to be a little bit of a problem...... Although only 2,000 people are involved, there are more than 2,000 people to be adjusted. ”

Blomburg's full name is Werner von Blomburg, and now he is the head of the 4th Division (Military Training Division) of the German Forces Bureau, and he was just promoted to the rank of colonel half a year ago. It seemed too quick to be promoted again to major general and head of the army bureau, so a compromise was adopted and he was sent to Italy as the head of the instructor corps.

The reason is high-sounding, Italy has asked Germany to help train oil guards, so it is best for the head of the training department to take this position.

"Okay, your accommodation and our liaison have been arranged, let's rest for a few days and get used to the situation in Italy before training...... Of course, the training outline is prepared in advance. ”

"Your Excellency, before we came, we had preliminarily drawn up a training program for desert warfare, anti-guerrilla warfare, and large-scale mobile warfare......

"It is not enough, the following contents need to be added: armored warfare and anti-armor warfare, air-ground coordination tactics, special infiltration operations, airborne and behind-enemy operations, beach-grabbing and anti-landing operations, sea chase and anti-smuggling operations...... Contini reported seven or eight demands in one breath.

Kesselring was stunned, and after a while, he stammered, "Pretend...... Armored warfare? Horde armed with tanks or armored vehicles? ”

"You have to assume that they have, and we have to pay great attention to the enemy, you must know that some countries in the world are very shameless, and they are not allowed to sell decommissioned and scrapped armored vehicles and tanks as scrap steel...... No, has Lawrence of Arabia heard of it? ”

Contini also scolded himself when he teased the British, he had just sold a large number of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery to Zhang Dashuai in the name of army scrap steel, but Kessellin didn't know about it, so he only nodded in a sudden understanding, but then he was worried again: "These are all new topics and new tasks you said, not to mention 6-8 months, it can't be completed in a year." ”

"If one year is not enough, it will be 2 years, and if it is not enough for 2 years, it will be 3 years...... You need to be mentally prepared for the tenacity of the tribal armament, and I myself plan to do it for 5 years! "If you can solve the tribal militancy in North Africa in five years, I consider it a victory!" ”

"You don't seem optimistic."

"It's really not optimistic, I have also prepared a large amount of pension, which I plan to give to the oil guards after they are killed or injured, including you." Contini quipped, "Well, are you afraid?" ”

Kesselring was really speechless, so he had to shake his head and smile bitterly, this president is really interesting, and the rumors from the outside world are not exaggerated at all.

"Then I understand, I will report back to the country and ask them to adjust some personnel lists according to your subject requirements."

"No, this is my plan for appointment based on the list you have submitted...... If there are no problems, I hope to start working next week. ”

Kesselring takes a quick look up:

Colonel Werner von Blomburg: Chief of Staff of the Petroleum Guard Corps (brigade level) and head of the German Advisory Corps

Captain Friedrich Paulus: Chief of the Operations Section of the General Staff

Colonel Bock: Commander of the First Rank Corps;

Lieutenant Colonel William Liszt: Chief of Staff of the First Steps

Captain Fritz Erich von Manstein: Commander of a mechanized infantry battalion

Captain Heinz Wilhelm Guderian: Commander of a mechanized transport company

Captain Erwin Rommel: Company Commander of a Motorized Rapid Reconnaissance Company

Lieutenant Ferdinand Schellner: Company Commander of a Mountain Infantry Company (understands Italian)

Major William Keitel: Commander of the Artillery Battalion

……

After reading this list, Kesselring only made one opinion: "This Mr. Alfred Yodl is not in the army now, he has retired from the army and left the army to serve as a doctor, do you reconsider his appointment as a combat staff officer?" ”

Contini patted his head: "Forgot ...... This person is considered a representative of the Italian side, and an employee of the United Group. ”

Kesselring laughed: "I immediately sent the list to Berlin, and I am personally optimistic that there will be no objections." ”

According to Contini's vision, the oil guard was set up at the brigade level of 6,000 people, including 2 infantry regiments, 1 artillery battalion and brigade headquarters, of which the first regiment was headed by a German and an Italian officer was the deputy; The 2nd Infantry Regiment was led by an Italian with a German officer as a deputy. This was much better than the situation in which the Germans had thought that all the German side would be the deputies. The chief of the guard was naturally Contini, but he could not go to North Africa on his own, so the actual power would be in the hands of the deputy chief of chief and the chief of staff of the rank of the same rank - which was quite important to the German side.

As soon as Kesselring's telegram was sent, Sickert nodded with satisfaction, but Blomburg, who actually led the team, made other suggestions: "I'm curious, this little Ziano is really only 23 years old, not to mention that he has not graduated from college, and has not even been to military school for a day?" How did he come up with this training request and list? He has an advisory board behind him? ”

"The rumors are all right, don't look at his young age, scheming, ruthless, and Mussolini came out in the same way, you have to pay more attention, as for the military ......" Sickett thought for a while, "I think he has a little talent, he reads a lot of books, his vision is also broad, some ideas are indeed very advanced, very advanced, the Italian Air Force authority Du Hei is not touting him as a young air force theorist?" ”

"Do you need to be trained and rehearsed for these supplementary subjects?"

"What do you think? Will it be useful for war in the future or not? ”

"It can be used, but it's really ...... to use these subjects in the tribal fighting in North Africa," Blomburg shook his head, "isn't this a cannon to fight mosquitoes?" ”

"Whatever, anyway, there is a big man who pays for it, just let go of your hands and feet, don't be afraid to spend money, this kid has money." Sickert said with a smile, "According to the agreement, all the salaries of our personnel going to North Africa will be borne by the United Group, and the desert and field service allowance will be doubled, and everyone will earn money for two years in one year, what's wrong?" ”

"Sir, you've changed ......"

Sickert nodded: "Perhaps, I have been in contact with this kid a few times, but I was unconsciously led astray by him, and it is money at every turn...... But this kid is really rich, and the United Group will spend more on military expenses next year than our entire defense force. In the past two days, I heard that more than $50 million has been spent on the acquisition of a series of military enterprises, and it is clear that they want to do a big job. ”

"Why is he so rich?"

"This kid is lucky, he found two oil fields in a row, one is still a huge oil field, of course, he is bold enough, he dares to borrow 10 marks and spend them all!" Sickert said indignantly, "We Germans are just a bit conservative, and some people accuse me of being a deviant when I do this." But you have to understand me, the defense force is really short of money and staff, why don't you be willing to let you out as mercenaries? Oil guards? Hum! My dignified German elite forces have turned into company bodyguards and mercenaries! ”